Avian Flu

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice they have issued to the general public to inform them of practical precautions they can take against the spread of avian flu.

Lord Warner: Avian influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds, with infrequent cases in those people who are closely exposed to infected poultry. However, if the virus evolves into a strain which readily infects people and is easily transmissible, this could result in a human influenza pandemic. We are working to ensure that both health professionals and the public have access to information about pandemic flu. The Chief Medical Officer has produced an explanatory guide on pandemic flu. In addition, a public information leaflet, frequently asked questions and key facts sheets have been developed. These are available on the Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu and have been distributed to primary care professionals.
	In the event of a pandemic, in order to reduce their risk of pandemic flu, people will be advised to:
	If you are ill during a pandemic:
	stay at home if you are ill, or think you may be ill;
	drink plenty of fluids;
	take medicines to reduce fever; and
	if your symptoms are getting worse, contact your general practitioner or NHS Direct.
	To reduce risk of infection:
	wash hands frequently (particularly after contact with people who are ill);
	cover mouth and nose with a tissue while sneezing or coughing;
	dispose of used tissues promptly and carefully—bag and bin them;
	wash hard surfaces (for example, worktops, door knobs) with a domestic cleaner regularly;
	avoid unnecessary travel;
	avoid crowds where possible; and
	ensure your children follow this advice.

British Consulate, Istanbul

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is their intention that the church and churchyard of St Helena's at the British Consulate in Istanbul should ever be reopened for worship after its destruction by al-Qaeda bombing; if so, when; and, if not, why it should not be reopened.

Lord Triesman: I refer to the reply I gave the noble Lord on 24 October (Official Report, col. WA 149). It is too early to say when the chapel repairs will be completed. We will discuss subsequent reopening of the chapel with the bishop of Gibraltar in Europe and the Church Council in Istanbul.

British Consulate, Istanbul

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current cost estimate of restoring the church and churchyard of St Helena's at the British Consulate in Istanbul; and when they last instructed professional advisers in relation to securing the reopening of the church.

Lord Triesman: I refer the to the reply I gave the noble Lord on 24 October (Official Report, col. WA 149). The cost of repairing St Helena's chapel will depend on the specification for the necessary works which officials will now discuss with the bishop of Gibraltar in Europe and the Church Council in Istanbul. Along with the other buildings that remained on our compound following the bomb, the chapel was surveyed by professional structural engineers in January 2004.

British Consulate, Istanbul

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total capital sum spent since 1997 on buildings, or the refitting of buildings, for the use of the British Consulate in Istanbul and its staff; and for what purposes those sums were spent.

Lord Triesman: The Consulate General at Istanbul was damaged by fire in May 2000 and again by bomb in November 2003. We have in the period between the fire and the end of financial year 2004–05 spent £13.726 million on Pera House and compound, for repairs, restoration and security works. We estimate that works at Pera House totalled £500,000 in the financial years 1997–98 to 1999–2000.

British Consulate, Istanbul

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total capital sum currently budgeted for spending or receipts in 2005–06, and for each subsequent year over the planning period, in relation to the maintenance and refitting of buildings or the purchase, sale or lease of buildings for the use of the British Consulate in Istanbul and its staff; and for what purposes those sums were spent.

Lord Triesman: We will this year complete the repairs to Pera House, and compound at a cost in 2005–06 of £1 million, and start work on a new visa facility. We expect the latter to cost £500,000 in the present financial year and a further £3 million in the following two financial years. In addition, we expect to spend £140,000 on the maintenance of Pera House and compound in the present financial year and £90,000 each in the next two financial years.

Bus Lane Enforcement

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why consultation has not been completed on the type of cameras necessary for enforcement of bus lanes which will be decriminalised in November.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The department consulted on the draft statutory instruments for bus lane enforcement outside London on 10 July 2002. That included the draft Bus Lanes (Approved Devices) (England) Order, which set out the performance specification that enforcement cameras would have to meet. Some 58 responses were received and taken into account where appropriate.
	Informal consultation subsequently took place in September this year about guidance for the civil enforcement of bus lanes outside London. Provisional guidance on bus lane (including tramway) enforcement in England outside London includes information on approved devices for bus lane enforcement and will be published on 7 November 2005. The guidance will be kept under review.

Cancer Treatment-induced Anaemia

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is (a) the estimated increase in the number of blood transfusions for patients suffering from cancer treatment-induced anaemia; and (b) the estimated number of patients who will receive no treatment for cancer treatment-induced anaemia should funding for erythropoietin on the National Health Service be withdrawn.

Lord Warner: The information requested is not available. However the following table sets out the number of blood transfusions for patients suffering from cancer treatment-induced anaemia in each of the past five years.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently published draft recommendations on the use of erythropoietin. Following consultation on these recommendations NICE is preparing final guidance, which is expected to be published in May 2006.
	Blood transfusions for patients suffering from cancer treatment-induced anaemia (*Please see selected codes).
	Count of Finished Consultant Episodes.
	
		NHS hospital trusts in England, 1999–2000 to 2003–04
		
			 Year Finished Consultant Episodes 
			 1999–2000 60 
			 2000–01 43 
			 2001–02 54 
			 2002–03 51 
			 2003–04 54 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished Consultant Episode (FCE)
	An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis)
	The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	Secondary Diagnoses
	As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002–03) secondary diagnosis fields in hospital episode statistics (HES) that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.
	Main Operation
	The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource-intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, such as time waited, but the figures for "all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	*Blood transfusion for anaemia induced by treatment for cancer is defined as follows:
	D61.1 Drug-induced aplastic anaemia in primary diagnosis field with one of the following codes in any of the secondary diagnosis fields
	Y42.5 Other estrogens and progestogens
	Y42.7 Androgens and anabolic congeners
	Y43.2 Antineoplastic natural products
	Y43.3 Other antineoplastic drugs
	Or
	D61.2 Aplastic anaemia due to other external agents in primary diagnosis field with Y84.2 Radiological procedure and radiotherapy in any of the secondary diagnosis fields in any of the secondary diagnosis fields
	And
	one of the following OPCS-4 codes recorded in the main operative procedure field:
	X33.1 Intraarterial blood transfusion
	X33.2 Intravenous blood transfusion of packed cells
	X33.3 Intravenous blood transfusion of platelets
	X33.8 Other specified other blood transfusion
	X33.9 Unspecified blood transfusion
	Grossing
	Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2003–04, which is not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Congestion Charge

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the cost to business due to the London congestion charge.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The central London congestion charging scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London. It is for them to assess the full range of impacts of the scheme, both for business and the wider community. We have not sought to duplicate the monitoring regime that the Mayor has put in place, but we continue to follow the scheme's progress.

Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003

Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made on monitoring the application and effect of the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003, which they agreed to do in their response to recommendation 7 of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report, Cultural objects: developments since 2000 (First Report, HC Paper 59, Session 2003–04); and whether the Ministerial Illicit Trade Advisory Panel should play a role in this monitoring.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The application and effectiveness of the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003 is currently being discussed by the Enforcement Steering Group. This group, which is chaired by my department, includes representatives from the Metropolitan Police, Customs and the Home Office.
	The future role of the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel is currently under consideration.

EU Health Ministers: Informal Meeting

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What main items will be on the agenda of the European Union informal meeting of Health Ministers scheduled for 20 October.

Lord Warner: There were three main agenda points at the European Union informal meeting of Health Ministers, held on 20 and 21 October.
	The first session focused on EU pandemic preparedness. Ministers received a technical update on scientific predictions of the size, scale and likelihood of a human pandemic outbreak. The World Health Organisation and European Commission made a presentation on pandemic preparedness and Ministers discussed requirements at EU, national and international level.
	The second session was on the shared values and common principles in health systems. Although there is much diversity in health systems throughout the EU, there is also much that unites countries across the political spectrum in Europe in terms of universality, equity and solidarity. There are also shared challenges such as ageing, technology and consumer expectations. Discussions covered how the EU can both meet the challenge of economic development in a globalised world and still maintain its commitment to high levels of social protection.
	The final session was on patient mobility. Co-operation has existed for decades between EU health systems so that workers, tourists and people who have retired to other member states can get the care they need. However, there is an increasing need for clarification of patients' entitlements and Ministers looked at the impact of patient mobility and specific areas where there is a lack of clarity about entitlements.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Property

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In relation to how many countries they have considered over the past 12 months, whether consular, embassy or other Foreign and Commonwealth Office buildings or land might be sold or leased for use as, or use by, hotels or places of entertainment; and what are the buildings or land concerned.

Lord Triesman: In the financial year 2004–05, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office sold two sites and 27 properties in 23 countries. None has to our knowledge become a hotel or place of entertainment

Foreign-registered Vehicles: Parking and Bus Lane Fines

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they will take to ensure that parking and bus lane fines issued to motorists with foreign-registered vehicles are paid.

Lord Davies of Oldham: When the police enforce parking or bus lane contraventions they issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for a criminal offence. When local authorities enforce those contraventions they issue a penalty charge notice (PCN) for a civil offence.
	At present, when a vehicle's registered keeper does not pay a FPN or PCN the enforcement agency is normally dependent on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's records to trace the relevant registered keeper. Currently, the DVLA does not have agreements with its counterparts in other countries to obtain keeper or owner details for foreign-registered vehicles. For penalty charges, a company called Euro Parking Collection plc has been established to recover on behalf of client authorities the parking penalty charges incurred by foreign-registered vehicles.

Gulf War 1990–91: Welsh Veterans

Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many Welsh veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf War have so far been examined by the medical assessment programme of the Ministry of Defence; and how many currently await examinations.

Lord Drayson: As at 20 October 2005, 113 1990–91 Gulf veterans who attended the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme were recorded with addresses in Wales. No patients with addresses in Wales are awaiting appointments.

Gulf War Illnesses

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer to the Question by the Lord Morris of Manchester by the Lord Drayson on 19 October (WA 129), whether they will now provide a substantive reply to the Question.

Lord Drayson: As there has been no material change in the position, I remain of the view that to provide a substantive reply to the Question would involve disproportionate effort.

Gypsies and Travellers: Housing Needs

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made on the provision of housing benefit for Travellers on sites owned by county councils since the then Minister at the Department for Work and Pensions wrote on 11 November 2003 regretting the difficulties that the delay was causing to both the tenants of county councils and to the councils themselves; and
	What progress the Department for Work and Pensions is making on solving the problems first drawn to their attention in a letter of 20 February 2001 and in the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 15 March 2001 (WA 110) that rent officers' determinations of rents on Gypsy sites owned by county councils are invariably lower than the economic rent charged by the council; and whether they will take steps to ensure that county councils do not evict residents with accumulating arrears due to the shortfall between housing benefit and the actual rent.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The department has commissioned research to inform a review of the mechanisms of how housing benefit is administered to Travellers claiming at county council, district and unitary council, and private sites. The outcome of this research is due to be delivered to the department by the end of this year and its findings will be considered as part of the recommendations of the review.
	The department has no powers to take steps to prevent tenants who fail to meet their rents from being evicted and it would not be appropriate for us to intervene in such cases.

House Sales: Home Packs

Baroness Hanham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made by the Working Party on Home Packs; and whether they intend to publish the working party's findings.

Baroness Andrews: There are a number of consultative groups, including project boards and technical working groups, involved in the implementation of the home information pack programme. Documents resulting from the work of these groups are published from time to time. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) published, for consultation, draft regulations covering the proposed contents of the packs on the 31 October. The draft regulations are the outcome from the Home Information Pack Components Project Board, membership of which includes representatives from the consumer organisation Which?, the Law Society, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the National Association of Estate Agents and the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The draft regulations are available on the ODPM website. Other reports will be published from time to time as material is made available for consultation or wider dissemination.

Israel: East Jerusalem and the West Bank

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made, or will make, to the government of Israel concerning Palestinians holding blue identity documents who are likely to be denied access to Jerusalem following extensions to the security wall; and what representations they have made concerning the impact of the wall on health, education and sanitation services for all Palestinians.

Lord Triesman: We regularly make clear our concerns to the government of Israel concerning Israeli policies in Jerusalem, which threaten to cut off Palestinian east Jerusalem from the West Bank. These policies include the routing of the barrier on occupied territory, settlement activity both within and around east Jerusalem and increasingly restricted access to Jerusalem for Palestinian residents who have blue Israeli identity cards but who live east of the barrier. These combined policies will have serious economic, social and humanitarian consequences for Palestinians, and will also reduce the possibility of reaching a final status agreement on Jerusalem.
	Most recently, my honourable friend the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Kim Howells, raised our concerns with Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom on 28 September during his visit to the region.

Israel: East Jerusalem and the West Bank

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made to the Israeli Government concerning the isolation of east Jerusalem from the West Bank.

Lord Triesman: We regularly make clear our concerns to the government of Israel concerning Israeli policies in Jerusalem, which threaten to cut off Palestinian east Jerusalem from the West Bank. These policies include the routing of the barrier on occupied territory, settlement activity both within and around east Jerusalem and increasingly restricted access to Jerusalem for Palestinian residents who have blue Israeli identity cards but who live east of the barrier. These combined policies will have serious economic, social and humanitarian consequences for Palestinians, and will also reduce the possibility of reaching a final status agreement on Jerusalem.
	Most recently, my honourable friend the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr Kim Howells, raised our concerns with Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom on 28 September during his visit to the region.

MRSA

Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received any reports about the methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) testing procedures of Chemsol Consulting; and whether its testing procedures meet the required standard.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health's inspector of microbiology and infection control visited the Chemsol laboratory in July 2004. It does not fulfil the criteria for accreditation by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd and would not be acceptable for undertaking microbiology tests on patients or the environment for National Health Service bodies.

Museums

Viscount Eccles: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the costs and benefits to museums of setting themselves up as independent charitable trusts or companies limited by guarantee; and what discussions they have had with (a) the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and (b) local authorities on this matter.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made no such assessment. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council has commissioned a study into trust status, as part of implementing recommendation 8 of the Goodison Review: Securing the Best for our Museums. The study will include discussions with local authorities with experience of museums moving from, or into, independent trust status.

National Heritage Memorial Fund

Viscount Eccles: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether directions issued to the trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund under Section 26(1) and (2) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, as amended by the National Lottery Act 1998, have had the effect of changing Heritage Lottery Fund policy; and, if so, in what way.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The statutory powers of the National Heritage Memorial Fund (which administers the Heritage Lottery Fund) to distribute lottery money are limited by the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 to the same purposes as set out in the National Heritage Act 1980. The 1980 Act was amended by the National Heritage Act 1997 to enable the fund also to make grants to projects which secure the preservation and enhancement of things of importance to the national heritage, and to encourage study, access, enjoyment and maintenance of such things, including the built and natural heritage, natural history and landscape.
	The power of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to give policy directions to the fund under Section 26(2) of the 1993 Act cannot change the funding powers set out in the 1980 Act and the policy directions issued by the Secretary of State to the fund reflect those broadened powers. The fund has, as a result, been able to promote access to such projects for people from all sections of society and to promote knowledge and interest in the heritage by children and young people, while encouraging sustainable development in projects it funds.
	The most recent directions were given to the fund in 1998 and are contained in the fund's 2004–05 annual report available in the Library.

South Kensington Pedestrian Subway

Lord Williams of Elvel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they agree with the recommendation of English Heritage that the museum tunnel in South Kensington should be listed; and, if so, when they will announce their decision.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is considering the advice from English Heritage on whether the South Kensington pedestrian subway should be listed, and will announce her decision shortly.

Tanzania and Zanzibar

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What they are doing in support of free, fair and peaceful elections in Zanzibar and Tanzania on 30 October; and
	What representations they are making to the government of Tanzania to ensure free and fair elections on 30 October and to avoid a repeat of the elections of 1995 and 2000 which failed to meet international election standards; and
	What representations they have made to the government of Tanzania about the recent reports of violence and intimidation of opposition parties in Zanzibar in the run up to the elections on 30 October.

Lord Triesman: Along with other members of the international community, we have been working very hard with President Mkapa, presidential candidate Kikwete, President Karume and all concerned, to put their personal authority behind a process that would result in a free and fair election on 30 October. I visited Zanzibar in June and made clear to President Karume and the opposition that a peaceful and successful electoral process was central to Zanzibar's future stability and prosperity.
	I wrote to President Mkapa on 24 October setting out my concerns regarding recent reports of violence and intimidation on Zanzibar. As presidency of the EU, the UK has most recently made representations to the Tanzanian Government, regarding the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has asked Chris Mullin MP, former Minister for Africa, to go to Zanzibar and observe proceedings as its special envoy.

Wild Birds

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many wild birds are imported into (a) the European Union, and (b) the United Kingdom each year; and, of these, how many are tested for avian flu.

Lord Bach: Between 1 September 2004 and 1 September 2005 our records show that 20,553 captive birds were imported into the European Union.
	Of this 18,367 captive birds were imported into the UK.
	These figures are for captive birds, as no distinction can be made between captive bred birds and wild caught birds. The figures to not include poultry.
	All imported captive birds must be held in quarantine for 30 days during which time a test must be carried out for the avian influenza virus.

Wild Birds

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether a complete ban on the import of wild birds into the United Kingdom is necessary to safeguard the biosecurity of the United Kingdom.

Lord Bach: On 25 October, the EU agreed to introduce an extensive ban on imports into the Community of wild birds, along with new restrictions on the import of pet birds. In line with previous EU-wide measures, we have already banned imports of all live birds and. products which could potentially transmit the disease from countries with the H5N1 strains of avian influenza.
	The UK recognises that the situation continues to develop worldwide. Defra has reviewed its overall risk assessment of the threat posed by highly pathogenic avian influenza. In light of the recent cases in several non-EU countries, it concludes that there is a high risk of further global dispersion. The UK has increased its vigilance to match this increased global risk.